- Throughout this chapter we've discussed a variety
of tools that you can use when conducting research.
Hopefully, you're able to understand what they are,
when they're best used,
and how to apply them in your research work.
As you're starting to figure out,
conducting any type of research
can become an overwhelming task.
There are many different methods and tools to choose from,
and sometimes figuring out where
to begin can be quite difficult.
Don't worry, it takes time and patience
to become a comfortable researcher,
and to realize which tools best fit your process.
Along the way, I've also learned
my strengths and weaknesses.
For instance, I'm not terribly
good at conducting interviews.
I don't enjoy approaching random people,
and I've never really felt comfortable with the process.
I try to take a partner with me
who is much more outgoing than I am.
They start the conversation,
and I follow up with some questions.
In this movie I'll share some key recommendations
to keep in mind when planning and performing research.
I'll also try to highlight some mistakes
that you can try to avoid along the way.
The first piece of advice I have is to have a plan.
A plan is very important to have
a smooth research experience.
Having a good plan involves things such as
understanding the data you're trying to collect,
identifying what research methods, tools,
and equipment you'll need to gather it,
and finding research participants and locating all
the other possible sources for your information.
Pay particular attention to the next chapter
when I discuss a series of valuable planning tools,
the research logic model and the KWHL table.
Know your limitations.
What does your research budget look like,
and what resources do you have available,
and how much time do you have
to find what you're looking for?
The answers will of course vary
by the scope of the project,
and the type of client that you have.
Identifying them will help you to decide which
methods and tools to use in order to meet your objectives.
For example, if you're working within a short deadline,
but need to very quickly validate a hypothesis,
try something like quick interviews,
and asking a small set of close-ended questions.
Network and make connections.
I cannot stress how important it is to network and make
connections with the people you intend to talk to.
Often, the information you're looking for will
require you to observe or interview a group
of people that you're not familiar with.
It can be difficult to make
connections to willing participants.
It's helpful to identify someone close to that group
of people who can speak on your behalf,
and help you gain the trust and support of the group.
I used this tactic in a project to meet
interview participants who were living
in a struggling urban neighborhood.
By connecting with the local
neighborhood development group,
I had a much easier time meeting residents
and gaining their trust.
Keep your bias in check.
Bias is your natural opinion towards something,
favorable or not, based on your own subjective beliefs.
While it's impossible to remove all of your bias,
it's important that you're aware of your feelings
so that you can differentiate these thoughts
from your actual findings.
Remember that having empathy for your
audience can help reduce your bias,
and if you're close to the community
or group that you're working with,
and you worry too much that you might
see them in a favorable perspective,
it's a good idea to work with another researcher
who has an unbiased point of view.
Obtain consent from all of your research participants.
Gaining consent is an important
part of the research process.
Consent involves a researcher clearing explaining
to the participant what their role is in the process,
and how their involvement will be used.
Then documenting the participant's confirmation
that he or she agrees to all the terms discussed.
There are many ways that this can be done,
and it all depends on the group being researched,
and the level of risk involved
with the research method or tool.
Sometimes all you need is a verbal response,
whereas other times you need to have
participants sign a waiver or a consent form.
For example, if you plan on recording and sharing
audio conversations with participants
make sure you get the appropriate consent to do so.
Check out our exercise files
for additional guidance on consent,
and how to remain ethical in your research practice.
Try using different research tools
to engage with your audience.
There are many ways to engage with research participants,
and different tools will gain different results.
Whether you're considering observational note taking,
photo ethnography, or interviews,
every tactic has distinct benefits.
Know your options ahead of time and be flexible
in the event that one tool doesn't get you
the results you're looking for.
Take good notes and stay organized.
There are many effective ways to gather
and record your research.
The most important point is to be overly
descriptive in everything you record.
I also tend to organize my research often,
especially in a larger project.
For instance, after I collect survey results,
I come home and I log them into a folder
with a time, date, and location that day.
If I take photographs, I come back that day,
download them from my camera,
and file them in a dated folder.
Organizing your work along the way will make it much easier
when it comes time to analyze all of your findings.
Validate your findings.
The research tools you're using generate
data that's subjective in nature,
make sure you validate it with other methods.
For example, if you're using a focus group
or observational research to understand someone's opinion,
use a survey in a similar way to give you some quantitative
information that will hopefully support those findings,
and help to identify what's actually true.
Hopefully, these recommendations help
as you plan and perform research.
Remember, remain flexible throughout your process.
If a tool or technique doesn't work out
as you planned try something different.
Explore the more difficult tools on appropriate projects
when you have the time
and the flexibility built into the budget,
otherwise stick to the basics and what you're good at,
and slowly build up your skillsets.